Manhattan College stands in unity with victims of Sri Lanka attacks

Manhattan College religious groups and organizations from around the borough gathered Friday to honor the victims that were killed in the Sri Lanka Easter attacks.
The death toll from the April 21 bombings at churches and luxury hotels rose to 257 people, from 253 last week, Health Ministry chief Dr. Anil Jasinghe said Thursday. He said 47 people were still being treated in hospitals, including 12 in intensive care.
Crowds made up of students, faculty and religious leaders stood together in unity on campus to call out prejudice and hate around the world and in the United States.
“It's not one religion against another,” says Mehnaz Afridi, the director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan College. “These extremists make us see it that way and we have to change their minds.”
Organizers say it was important to have various religious leaders representing different faiths present because Sri Lanka shares that same diversity in religion.
AP Wire Services were used in this report.